The present invention relates generally to containers for packaging and storing edible materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to a container for packaging and storing fruits and vegetables.
In connection with the harvesting, distribution, retail, and consumption of fruits and vegetables, there are a variety of problems which have manifested themselves. For example, during harvesting, fruits and vegetables are often placed in large containers for shipment to distributors. The distributors then clean the edible materials, as necessary, and ship those edible materials to various retail outlets. At the retail outlet, the vegetables are sometimes packaged into smaller disposable containers but are sometimes offered for sale as loose items.
The known containers which have been used for fruits and vegetables generally are not reclosable and do not offer physical structure to protectively support individual perishable items during handling, transit, and retail sale. Typically, these containers comprise crates, corrugated boxes and the like.
At the point of retail sale, a variety of packaging systems and materials are used. Frequently, vegetables are displayed in a loose condition on a shelf so that a purchaser can select the individual items. In this instance, the purchaser typically uses a clear plastic bag to hold the items during the remainder of the shopping trip and until the items arrive at the shopper's home.
Citrus fruits are sometimes offered for retail sale in mesh bags or relatively heavy plastic bags. While these bags offer convenient transportation, they are not reclosable and do not provide a container that protects the fruit from physical damage during transportation to the ultimate destination, the home. Moreover, the bags do not offer storage capability at the shopper's home.
Some fruits, such as grapes and apples, are prepackaged and offered for retail sale in plastic, or cardboard trays which are covered by clear plastic wrap. Such containers are convenient where the fruit is being sold in prepackaged lots by weight or by number of items. However, such containers are neither reusable nor reclosable.
To preserve edible materials such as fruit and vegetables after retail purchase, the consumer typically refrigerates them. With the frost-free refrigerators that are almost universally used in this country, another category of problems occurs which adversely affect these edible materials. For example, frost-free refrigerators continually circulate air through the refrigeration compartment which dehydrates fruit and vegetables. Additionally, frost-free refrigerators, as well as older non-frost-free refrigerators, allow food odors to permeate other foods stored in the refrigerator. These problems of drying and odor absorption deleteriously affect the useful life of edible materials such as fruits and vegetables.
Accordingly, it is seen that the need continues to exist for a new and improved packaging and storage container which overcomes problems of the type discussed herein.